STURGEON IS SET TO SLAM THE BRAKES ON
First Minister dashes freedom day hopes as England unlocks... but Scots restrictions stay
NICOLA Sturgeon was accused of leaving Scots ‘in limbo’ yesterday after warning some Covid freedoms may be held back.
As Boris Johnson pushes forward with ending lockdown in England, the First Minister insisted that there would be ‘no abrupt’ return to normality in Scotland.
Drawing a clear line between herself and the Prime Minister, Miss Sturgeon said face coverings and social distancing could remain in Scotland ‘for some time yet’.
But she was accused of developing a potential ‘Level 0.5’ after saying it was ‘possible to proceed with some planned changes but hold back on others’ as the country moves into Level 0 – due to start on July 19.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: ‘This latest briefing from the First Minister has only helped to create further uncertainty for individuals and businesses and has left them in a state of limbo. Her
which hinted some restrictions might not be lifted, is completely unhelpful.
‘Nicola Sturgeon has already said that these dates are not set in stone. Other SNP ministers have also failed to give a concrete guarantee over the easing of restrictions on July 19, or have suggested they might be pushed back, if the Covid situation worsens.
‘She has now potentially created a Level 0.5 in her own route map, which undermines the plans she outlined only a few weeks ago.
‘People and businesses who are continuing to make sacrifices are understandably excited about what restrictions will be eased in less than a fortnight.
‘If Nicola Sturgeon rows back on some of these, that will undermine trust within the public when it comes to key health messaging.’
During a briefing yesterday, Miss Sturgeon hit out at the Prime Minister and said the complete scrapping of Covid restrictions from July 19 was the ‘exception’.
She said she would not see young people treated as pandemic ‘guinea pigs’ in a bid to have Scotland’s own version of Freedom Day.
On July 19, Scotland is set to move to Level 0 with social distancing outside scrapped, reduced to just one metre indoors and a further easing of restrictions for hospitality firms. On August 9, many of the major restrictions such as physical distancing are set to be scrapped – but with face coverings remaining mandatory.
However, Miss Sturgeon urged caution yesterday over the July easing of rules, which she is due to confirm on Tuesday.
She said she ‘very much’ hopes to be able to confirm a move to Level 0 next week – with a slowing in the case numbers giving ‘more cause for optimism about that than I might have had a week ago’.
But while not wanting to preempt the decision, she warned Covid will ‘be around for some time to come’.
She added: ‘It is always possible to proceed with some planned changes but hold back on others if we think that is appropriate.
‘I very much hope we will be able to move ahead as planned.
‘The apparent slowing down in the case numbers gives me more cause for optimism about that than I might have had a week ago but, nevertheless, between now and Tuesday we will continue to monitor very carefully the latest data on cases, but also on hospitalisations and deaths to see whether that weakening of the link between cases and severe illness is continuing.’
Miss Sturgeon said she would not be throwing ‘caution to the wind’.
She added: ‘Many of the baseline measures we use – things like face coverings, physical distancing, rigorous hand hygiene, advising on good ventilation – these are going to continue to be important mitigations in protecting ourselves and others from the virus, perhaps for some time yet.
‘So no matter what our decision is next week about the move to Level 0, there won’t be an abrupt end to these basic protective measures when we do move to Level 0. Obviously, I will set out more about that in the statement I make next week.’
Her intervention comes amid growing pressure on Scotland’s NHS. Health boards have said they are struggling to cope with an influx of patients. The latest figlanguage,
‘Undermines the plans she outlined’
ures yesterday showed a further 2,802 people tested positive for Covid, with four more deaths.
There are now 401 people in hospital being treated for coronavirus, an increase of 14. A total of 38 patients are in intensive care units – an increase of four.
Miss Sturgeon again insisted that there is a race between the vaccination programme and the virus, with 3,900,864 people in Scotland now having had one dose. There are now 2,825,886 fully vaccinated people in Scotland.
Miss Sturgeon said the country must continue to be ‘really careful’ and that we ‘don’t end up accepting a higher than necessary burden of illness, a higher than necessary burden of death and pressure on our health service that won’t just be left by those working on the frontline, but by people needing non-Covid care.’
She added: ‘I think it is worth pointing out that the path the UK Government is embarking on for England, which is entirely a matter for them, a path of not just lifting all restrictions from July 19 but also removing the requirement for basic mitigations like face masks, and doing so against the backdrop of sharply increasing case numbers is something of an exception.’
THE Prime Minister’s decision to appoint Lord McInnes of Kilwinning as his new special adviser on Scotland is an indication of where his thinking stands on the Union.
Lord McInnes, who will be stepping down as director of the Scottish Conservatives to take up the role, is a key ally of Ruth Davidson and his posting suggests a rejection of the more bullish approach to the SNP favoured by some Conservatives and other Unionists.
Bringing Lord McInnes on board is likely to improve strained relations between Downing Street and the Scottish tories, but it also indicates Boris Johnson is at last focusing more of his attention on Scotland and the constitutional question.
this is long overdue and if Lord McInnes has fresh ideas for strengthening the Union, that will be entirely welcome after what has seemed like an extended spell of complacency.
the Nationalists may be subdued for now because of the pandemic but they will be on the front foot again before long.
It now falls to Lord McInnes to prepare the fightback.